The LitFest Blog

Demon Dentist Review

03-10-2017

David Walliams’ Demon Dentist is a funny-scary story about a 12-year-old boy named Alfie who suspects that something is awry when the new dentist in town, Miss Root, gives out “special sweeties” and acidic toothpaste so strong it burns holes in rocks. And all over town, when children hide their teeth under their pillows for the Tooth Fairy, instead of getting money, they find slugs, spiders, earwigs, and other creepy crawlies.

But Alfie doesn’t know he’s in BIG TROUBLE until Miss Root straps him to a chair so that she can pull out all his teeth! Winner of the National Book Award, Demon Dentist is filled with jokes, irreverent nonsense words, and illustrations, making it perfect for reluctant readers and bookworms alike.

The illustrations, which appear on almost every page, are by Tony Ross, who illustrated the Horrid Henry series. They give the chapters a comic book feel, and since the book features more challenging words than in the Captain Underpants and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, this book is a great next step for readers who like those series.

Book Review – Sheila Seiler, 2017 School Librarian of the Year Award winner